


Once Upon A December

by JennieDiPedeegre



Category: Anastasia (1997), Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, Anastasia AU, Character Death, Discovered Royalty AU, F/M, Gen, Leans More To An FMA Plot, Let’s Just Say It’s Anastasia-esque And Call It A Day, Memory Loss, Name Changes, Sort Of, Xerxes Was Never Destroyed AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-16
Updated: 2021-02-16
Packaged: 2021-03-18 17:54:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,854
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29493900
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JennieDiPedeegre/pseuds/JennieDiPedeegre
Summary: There was fire that night.The glowing embers that emerged from the plight were the brightest source of light to illuminate the chaos that evening. The citizens of The Golden Oasis had raged against the royal family, and had started to rebel. Many, till today, still claim that the Xerxean Revolution was a punishment, a divine retribution, for their sinful desire: to attain immortality through the sacred science, Alchemy.¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬In which Edward and Alphonse are the lost princes of Xerxes.To writing_addict, my favorite FMA author.
Relationships: Edward Elric & Roy Mustang, Edward Elric/Winry Rockbell, Mei Chan | May Chang/Alphonse Elric
Kudos: 10





	Once Upon A December

**Author's Note:**

  * For [writing_addict](https://archiveofourown.org/users/writing_addict/gifts).



> So finally, the long promised fanfic is here! Except now there are a few changes:
> 
> 1.) This was intended to be a one shot, but it was taking too long to work on, and with the added problems of Reality™, i just decided to release them in chapters and keep updating than write it in one go and keep you waiting.
> 
> 2.) i am currently writing finals, so if you're wondering why i haven't updated my other fics, this is why.
> 
> 3.) I have a Tumblr! Have had one for quite a while, actually. If you want to ask me stuff regarding my fanfics or AUs, you can find me [here.](http://africanotaku92.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Thank you for the support!!!
> 
> Ages:
> 
> Edris/Edward- 5
> 
> Alam/Alphonse-4
> 
> Akilah(OC)-9
> 
> Roy-18

**!! Trigger Warning !! Graphic depictions of violence and death ahead !!!**

There was fire that night.

The glowing embers that emerged from the plight were the brightest source of light to illuminate the chaos that evening. The citizens of The Golden Oasis had raged against the royal family, and had started to rebel. Many, till today, still claim that the Xerxesian Revolution was a punishment, a divine retribution, for their sinful desire: to attain immortality through the sacred science, Alchemy.

The children of the royal family, all prodigies in this field, were often referred to as blessed by God, and the key to the success of this evil goal. The Royal Scholar, Ziad Hamidullah, had sometimes pitied the noble Tears of The Desert, whom he had been tasked with educating in this double edged art. a blessing and a curse, along with his wife, Tamara Eliana. They didn't know what they were getting into. They were just children. Yes, they were _incredible, worryingly smart_ children, but children all the same.

Children who must be scared out of their minds by now. 

"Uncle Ziad!"

He turned from the people running around like ants amongst the chaos and saw The Crown Princess (and more importantly, _his 9 year old niece who shouldn't be experiencing this ever,_ ) Akilah dashing towards him. He caught her in his arms.

"Akilah...? What are you doing here! You're supposed to be escaping! Where are your brothers?"

She looked up at him. Big tears were welding up in her eyes. She sniffled, shaking like a leaf.

"We were running with auntie Tamara, but then Edris said he forgot the music box and alchemy journal he got, and Alam then followed him, and then I chased after them but we got separated by a crowd of people, an--and now I can't find them-!"

He soothed her and let her relax a bit in his arms. 

( _She was too young. They were all too young to be living this._ )

He held his niece by her shoulders, firmly reassuring her. "We'll find your brothers."

He just prayed that they were safe.

***

Edris was panicking.

The day was going great before. Xerxes was celebrating its 400th anniversary with the royals hosting as usual. All were invited. Aki was given a circlet made of gold, with turquoise and amethyst to wear, the symbol of an Heir Apparent of the Xerxesian throne (so, in a sense, it was also an announcement party) and an emerald necklace.

Al was given a matching bracelet (which he would later grow into) that had 'In Xerxes we stand' inscribed and a set of chalks, while he had received a matching jewel encrusted, engraved box and an Introductory (Read: Mid-Intermediate level) Alchemy journal that uncle Ziad wrote for them! He and his siblings were planning on hiding in a secret room Aki found, staying up well past their bedtime. Then mum would have found and scolded them for sleeping so late, and auntie Tamara would laugh and laugh and laugh at her twin’s ramblings.

It would have been a normal day.

Then some asshole decided it was the perfect day for a rebellion.

And now everyone was scared, mama said they had to leave and he couldn't find his _stupid notebook--_

"I FOUND IT!!"

\--And did he mention he had the _best_ baby brother in the world?

Alam was waving the book in his direction and he took it from his hand before it could fall.

"Good! Now we go find auntie and get the hell out of here!"

"Ed! Mama said no swearing!"

_"Shut up,_ Al! We're in the middle of running for our lives! I think this counts as an exception!"

The two princes are packing their findings and are about to leave, when the door swings open…

....

....

….

.... And reveals Tamara.

"Boys! we've been looking for you everywhere! The rebels have intercepted the castle! We must leave!"

Just as she took the boys hands, a Xingese boy, one of the guest students presumably, had entered the room.

"Quickly, in here! I found a secret passage way. It leads to the servant’s quarters! We can get you out from there!"

She wasted no time, rounded up the boys and fled through the passage.

It was the last time she would set foot inside the desert country.

***

Escaping the palace was a hard task.

Not because there were still traitors searching every nook and cranny for them, out for the blood of the people that did nothing but care for them, nor was it because of the threat of the angry mob surrounding the place, innocent people that had been fed lies, and were now blaming them for crimes that they were not even sure had been committed.

No. It was hard because of all the _death_ that surrounded them.

Zaid knew about death. He was a Commander before he was a scholar. He knew that where there was power, there was disagreement. Where there was disagreement, there was fighting. Where there was fighting, there was bloodshed. And where there bloodshed, there were bodies.

But his wife, who had been everywhere in life but the battlefield, didn’t experience it.

The children didn’t _know_ this.

And yet here they were, darting around the palace through a maze of secret doors and passage ways, combing through seas of the bloodied bodies of people and soldiers alike. At one point, they had to pass the throne room. The sight that greeted them was one that he would never forget.

The bodies of the Queen and King, splayed across the floor in a pool of blood that wasn’t only theirs, knives embedded in their corpses. He didn’t want to go closer, but he was sure that if he did, he’d see that their heads had been cut off, as if it was to make sure they were dead, and not for the sick enjoyment of it. He could almost see the sadistic, childlike grin they would make as their sword sliced their necks.

Ruthless murderer, he was.

He heard a thud and saw that Ed had dropped to his knees, mouth agape, skin as white as marble. Akilah had tears running down her faces, shaking again, fists clenched and eyes filled with a deep anger and _hatred_ he didn’t even know a child as young as her could possess. Alam was frozen too, his eyes glazed over in shock as his innocent toddler brain tried to process what he was seeing.

It’s sad, really. Children as young as these seeing their parent’s dead, yet they can’t even be given the decency to mourn them.

Who says the rich live a life full of glitter and gold?

They had managed to change into civilian clothes a servant prepared for them, and met up with other members of the court at the outskirts of the palace. With a head start, they were able to get a considerable distance away from the massacre. But, unknown to them, a few traitors had anticipated this move and followed them, gunning down the nobles within reach. One bullet had grazed Alam's cheek. 

He wouldn't wish it upon even his worst of enemies.

They were about to reach the station, where there would be a train waiting for them to take them to a safe house hidden deep in the mountains of Xing. 

Or at least that was the plan. 

Instead, what greeted them was the leader of the rebellion, a man who Ziad himself had previously trusted with his life, who would only tell people to refer to him as just 'Father'. The man who claimed to be one of God's servants, and had gained the trust of the Royal family and served them for years. The man who had so suddenly turned his back on the royal family, claiming that they wanted to achieve immortality, which was against God, when really what he wanted was to become God himself. Father, the very man who was behind this whole rebellion in the first place.

It was a sight that both angered and saddened him at the same time.

Without warning, he lunges forward, transmutating a spear and aiming straight for the Crown Princess. Ziad wasted no time in making a counter rod and blocking the blow. Father smiles, then laughs wildly.

“Ziad, old friend! Why waste your time, mingling with such mortals? They’re refined pests at most! People pompous enough to give themselves jewels and a good image, who slap crowns on their heads and demand to be called Royals! Who call themselves perfect! And others, blinded by their fantasies, follow unquestioning! Take down these imposters, and join me in the pursuit of _true_ perfection! JOIN ME, AND BECOME _GOD_ _!_ ”

Ziad gritted his teeth, then smirked, and removed his rod from their lock, used the back end to hit his stomach, and swung it upward to hit his jaw. He had to think of a way to secure him and escape, while he was disoriented. He clapped his hands, and started to transform the ground beneath Father.

“AKILAH! Come Help me!”

She snapped out of it, and rushed to her uncles’ side, adding her energy flow. In an instant, the ground opened up and swallowed him whole. Knowing what he could do, it would probably only give them enough time to reach the station, but that was all the time they would need.

“Quickly! We’ve bought some time; let’s run!”

And so, they did.

***

They reached the station just in time. Their tickets were already sorted out by someone they had been connected with. Ziad handed them their tickets. His wife frowned, noticing the slight variety.

“The fortress in Xing would be the first place they would look, Tamara.” He assured, seeing his wife’s hesitation.

“All of the Royal family are important, but the princess is too far valuable as the heir. Separation is necessary in order to throw them off. We will take the boys to Amestris. I had notified your family in Drachma a few weeks prior to be ready to accommodate any of our family should something happen. The king assured no harm will come to them. The princess will be safe.”

She perked up at the mention of the country, almost happy, even suggesting a place for their stay. She ushered the still shocked boys onto their assigned train. He then turned his attention to the princess, and gave her a hug.

“We’ll meet again, little Pearl.” He whispered in her ear. “Please be good to the family in Drachma.” She nodded, wiping away the tears in her eyes, and took the hand of a noble who helped her boarded the train.

The conductor placed the last call for passengers for the train, and he boarded. As the train began to move, he saw a flash of gold heading towards the dimly lit station. Then, he ducked under the door and went inside. He pretended not to shiver at the howl.

In the distance, as the train began to speed up, Father got one last glimpse of Zaid before he vanished. His blood curdling, frustrated scream echoed into the night.

**Author's Note:**

> Roy stans I'm sorry to say that your boy was only mentioned in passing this chapter. He'll get his screen time soon.


End file.
